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Hymn - Mothering Love

Remember the one who brought us to birth;
so special, unique, a person of worth;
our love and our thankfulness we wish to show
for she shared her body to cause us to grow.

This mystery of life; this mystery extreme
of mother and child – a bond so supreme;
the love and protection, essential yet free,
when given to young ones breeds courage to be.

Young Mary was proud of her baby boy;
but later in life brought sadness not joy;
this mother, bewildered, when grieving her loss
remained close to Jesus and cried at his loss.

If motherhood calls but then passes by,
yet motherly love refuses to die,
when this love is given, great blessing is known,
for children are not raised by mothers alone.

Such love is so deep; can conquer what’s wrong;
for motherly love is patient and strong;
with God as love’s mother,
God’s presence we see
in mothering love and in mothers-to-be.

George Stuart (2015)
Tune = Hanover

 

 

A Declaration

Adapted from International Women’s Day Litany (2018)

We enter into faith in God, female and male alike, for we are together in Jesus Christ. Yet, more than this, as we prepare to welcome Jesus, in a way much greater than we welcome greetings to mothers on this day, we know that Jesus is already preparing to welcome us as he welcomed the Samaritan women at the well.

We are welcomed, female and male alike, for we are all together in Jesus Christ. In the entire world; its creation, width and breadth is God’s grace ready to be celebrated. In shouting and praising, even when we struggle with our gender, when justice is around, when we least want or expect it, God’s grace is with us.

Female and male alike, God’s grace encompasses all. Christ arrives at the right moment to challenge injustice, to challenge the treatment of women in our community, to challenge our structures and actions.

We recognise that whether male or female, Christ challenges us. While we question, and do not understand all that is God; while we question the actions of ‘the powers that be’ and the treatment of those we love, we acknowledge that Christ struggles with us.

We look forward to a time, when as women and men, we will all celebrate the warmth of God together; when we are aware of our weakness and strengths, as we honour and praise the fullness of God.

So, in acknowledging this, no matter who we are, or where we are on life’s journey, we are welcome in our sacred place.